ATAVISMO

4.5 stars. ATAVISMO are a Psychedelic band out of Spain, a trio in fact of guitar/vocals, bass and drums but the guitarist and drummer both add farfisa and mellotron. They even have a guest playing mellotron on the closer. Yes I love this band! This is the debut from 2014 and they have also released a second recording in 2017 called "Inerte" that I consider one of the best albums to ever come out of Spain. The debut here is more raw, in fact the two longest tracks, the opener and closer brought "A Saucerful Of Secrets" to mind for that dark, spacey sound.

Listen to the sounds howl to start the opener "Blazaya"! I'm guessing mellotron and theremin. A bass line before 1 1/2 minutes as the spacey sounds subside. Cymbals and guitar join in. Drums 3 minutes in as the guitar starts to solo more steadily. Distorted guitar later but the tone 7 minutes in sounds really good. The guitar solo starting before 11 minutes brings BLACK SABBATH to mind. "Kraken" is spacey to start as guitar joins in quickly. More to follow then vocals before a minute. Harmonies after 1 1/2 minutes helps create an uplifting mood. More of a rock mode before 4 minutes as we get a change. Love the guitar here. A FLOYD vibe very late.

"Oceanica" is very relaxed and spacey with laid back picked guitar. Drifting vocals join in but not for long as it turns instrumental. Vocals are back after 4 minutes then it kicks into a more powerful sound a minute later. Vocals are more passionate here. So good! They step aside before 6 minutes as we get a relaxed guitar solo but he will start to rip it up some. Distortion 7 minutes in then it settles back again. "Meeh" has these deep sinister sounding bass lines to start as drums join in then guitar. Vocals after 1 1/2 minutes as the guitar stops. This is mid paced and dark. Vocals will come and go and the guitar sounds pretty amazing. It slows down heavily before 10 minutes to end it.

They've only released two studio albums but this might be my favourite band from Spain. Can't get enough of this stuff. Did I mention the word mellotron? Bumping this up to 5 stars as I find no bad sections even but tons of stuff that I crave in music.

The Spanish band ATAVISMO emerged from the ashes of the stoner rock / heavy psych band Viaje a 800 and formed around 2013 in one of Spain's southernmost cities at Algeciras which is situated across from the UK occupied territory of Gibraltar and just across the Strait of Gibraltar from Tangier, Morocco. This Andalusian trio has made some waves in the prog community in recent years by developing a classic psychedelic space rock sound that find them in competition with that transition zone of Pink Floyd, you know those awkward years after Syd Barrett went crazy and before "Dark Side Of The Moon." In fact the band's name ATAVISMO is simply the Spanish word for the English word "atavism" which literally means "throwback."

The band consists of Jose Moreno aka Poti who handles guitar, mellotron, farfisa, theremin as well as lead vocals. Mateo performs bass and contributes backing vocals whereas Sanda Pow is the drummer but also contributes mellotron, farfisa and backing vocals. This debut release DESINTEGRACIÓN is mellotron paradise and therefore a fourth guest musician in the form of Curro Snortil was needed for yet more mellotrons! The result is a stoned out romp through sometime like in 1971 or so only upgraded with a modern production that allows each instrumental to stake out its proper sound turf and remain audibly enabled for the entirety of this 37 minute run. While some have stated that the album should be longer, i find the classic run length of albums of this type are more than enough.

DESINTEGRACIÓN consists of only four tracks with the opener and closer running over ten minutes long and the creamy filling of the album ranging from around seven to eight. The album gets off to a nice start with the sounds of what sounds like a swarm of galactic hornets slowly closing in as the audio becomes subtly louder and eventually ushers in the standard instruments of guitar, bass and drums. This is one of those jam band type albums that engages in psychedelic noodling to some degree but yet the compositions are developed enough and progressively charged to keep them out of the neurally dead section of the record store. Ironically there is more info on this band on metal websites than actual prog ones however there is nothing really remotely metal about this save the occasional power chord that reverberates into infinity.

This is slow burning chill music that develops a repetitive bass groove, gentle percussive accompaniment with the guitar adding Floydian guitar licks along with a cloudy atmospheric overcast that swishes and swirls around, sometimes reminding me of classic Gong and at other times a bit more like the early years of Hawkwind. However despite these nods to the past greats, ATAVISMO does refrain from overtly copying their referential sources and instead creates a rather distinct romp through the lysergic woods after a magic mushroom has slowly dissolved reality and only smoking caterpillars are left to declare sovereignty over the interdimensional gap between two different worlds.

Having been involved with the PSIKE team on ProgArchives now for a few years, i've heard more than my share of psychedelic rock bands that implement this same style of improv over a structured grooviness and when all is said and done, ATAVISMO delivers a nice addition to that slice of the psych prog universe but honestly on this debut really doesn't accomplish much else. With the possible connection to style with modern day bands such as Earthless or even Porcupine Tree, ATAVISMO really just engages in lengthy jam sessions that evoke some of the earliest flirtations of Krautrock. While the album is pleasant there isn't really much in the way of songwriting going on here. A nice debut but the band definitely stepped things up on the 2017 followup "Inerte." This one is OK but doesn't really blow me away.

Ahhhh ... fantastic ... ATAVISMO are enhanced to a quartet now in 2018 due to the cooperation with keyboarder Koe, who is serving decent piano lines, explosive rhodes adds, synth goodies and more. Which proves that he certainly is able to add a new note. Although guitarist Poti, frequently multi-tracked, still represents a dominant and very influencial part. The short intro and outro both are embracing four top-notch songs on this new EP. I mean nothing more than 30 minutes of the highest quality. Wow, they are setting off a real fireworks in composition and execution here. By the way, if you are wondering about the last song title, which comes somewhat weird ... just take this backwards. And then we've come full circle, you're ready for a new start, well deserved.

When starting to listen it's quite clear after a while that a band from Spain is acting here. For the reason that they are not an instrumental band at all. Vocal harmonies atop, a little native folk input like on Sapo Sagapo with percussion, acoustic guitar and mellotron coming to the fore. And the title track implements some typical Rock Andaluz I would say, finally expressing soulfullness a lot. 'Valdeinfierno' is filled with the approach of richness and experimentalism. Adansonia Records are lucky to fetch this gem for their back catalogue. Congrats! In my humble opinion this puts everything in the shade ATAVISMO have recorded beforehand, which isn't that poor anyway though, don't get me wrong! Still listening all around and around with pleasure ...

Wow! This is the first time I've listened to the band's songs, they come from Spain and I auditioned on bandcamp and got a fresh look. Their style is psychedelic rock, this is their second album, I feel better than many big new work is better, this year's masterpiece. Their music is full of Spanish exoticism, especially the use of mellotron, making the music very nice. There's a little stoner in it, but I do not really like the voices, I think they are a bit redundant. It should be four stars, but to encourage the band, I hit five stars.

This will no doubt be high on my final "best of" list for 2017. ATAVISMO are a trio out of Spain who play a Psychedelic brand of music. This is album number two for the boys(and girl). So we get a trio of bass, drums and guitar while all three also sing, play farfisa and mellotron. Oh those last two instruments have me drooling.

"Pan Y Dolor" is the most Spanish sounding song by far. The strummed guitar and multi-vocals bring that country to mind. It hits the ground running with bass, drums and guitar contrasted with the strummed guitar and multi-vocals I mentioned earlier. It starts to get really good when a calm arrives after 3 1/2 minutes. We get relaxed picked guitar but check out the mellotron choirs when they arrive. Oh my! Drums and bass will join in and the guitar does get quite expressive here as it cries out. More mellotron after 6 minutes. This is so good! Back to that strummed guitar with drums before the guitar starts to make some noise. Vocals and that Spanish sound return before 8 minutes.

"El Svendo" is powerful right off the hop with distorted guitar and pounding drums. Vocals join in and they will come and go as the power stays constant. It settles back some before 4 1/2 minutes but the guitar if anything becomes more powerful and the focus. It settles back even more before 6 1/2 minutes and I adore the tone of that guitar as the drums beat away. Back to the earlier guitar tone as he starts to light it up, especially before 9 1/2 minutes. Fantastic! It then turns heavier with distortion. My favourite song.

"La Maidicion Del Zisco" opens with distortion as a bass line kicks in followed by a full sound. Love that bass! Vocals before 1 1/2 minutes then some vocal melodies 3 minutes in the bass continues to kill here. Great sound! Vocals are back 4 minutes in. Repetitive riffs kick in around 5 minutes. "Belleza Cuatro" has a slow start of bass and atmosphere and more as reserved vocals arrive before 1 1/2 minutes. Vocal melodies before 3 1/2 minutes but they are brief. When they stop it becomes more powerful. It starts to wind down 5 minutes in.

"Volares" opens with heavy drums as synths and female vocal melodies join in. The guitar starts to cry out after a minute. Great sound before 3 minutes, so powerful. It then settles back some as guitar starts to slowly solo over top of the soundscape. So good! Vocals after 4 1/2 minutes and they stop after 6 minutes as distorted guitar comes to the fore. Vocals are back before 7 minutes as the song seems to drift along. More distorted guitar after 8 minutes to the end.

Man this seems like it was custom made for me apart from the Spanish bits of the opener. I really like how powerful this is at times, lots of depth to the sound. Just an amazing album from start to finish. Now where can I get their debut?

Already indicating the trio's qualities and prog fundament, I can remember their debut 'Desintegracion' from 2014, which already attracted my attention. However, this new album, just released on Temple Of Torturous Records in these days, surely is a step forward to something really superb. The five songs, two of them crossing the ten minute border, are well thought out compositions. They are still reserving enough space for some instrumental excursions, though on the other hand will step away from a jamming attitude basically. Furthermore to state, I would say it's not that usual to use native lyrics.

Let's start with the opener Pan Y Dolor and the band's rhythm backbone, consisting of Mat (bass) and Pow (drums). Both are serving a tremendous groove, partially tending towards southern rock throughout. All members are also responsible for the subtle use of vintage keyboard stuff including mellotron and farfisa. Anyhow, Pot's electric guitar is dominant over the course, first of all the fantastic centerpiece El Sueno evolves to a magical showcase. A swinging La Maldición Del Zisco then appears with moog support and surprising facility.

Belleza Cuatro offers a fine blend of psychedelia and shoegaze where Volarás comes with charming polyphonic vocals, evolves into an atmospheric orientation soon, close to Airbag respectively Pink Floyd. 'Inerte' is another effort which contrasts pleasantly from the vast number of albums presented to this concept of genre in recent times. Enjoyable from the first to the last minute, developed with much empathy, including prominent mix and sound quality. Excellent move, ATAVISMO!

I am not going to, because I do not want, speculate on the musical genres and trends of this beyond amazing sound device issued by a new band of Algeciras, Cádiz, named Atavism, a name which itself already refers to the heritage of previous projects, Viaje a 800 or the recently dissolved Mind! And I do not want to speak about dogmatic treatises about experimental work, exercises of hard psych from the seventies inheritance or if this is a recurrence of some experienced musicians in a clear effort to go further and evolve. All that would be to get lost in a jungle of burdensome terms that do not describe, they could never do, a music that emanates from the heart, from an atavistic feeling that feeds the spirit of a musician, and the honesty which a group gives the listener with an infinite, timeless music, as I foresee from this moment, in an essential and fruitful career. Marvelous sounds infused with early seventies floydian grooves and devoted to extensive developments that, finally, transmit musical essences conceived and thought to the limit. The music of Desintegración is the approach of this smart trio formed by a extremely inspired Poti for both, voices and his eternal guitar, sculpting timeless melodies filled with an special sensitivity, that does not need to expose genuine virtuosity, and fierce melancholy anthems at a time, with exciting performances of unspeakable beauty; Sandri Pow, a real percussive heart, which is the powerful, sweet and vital soul of a group guided by intricate and dreamy instrumental passages, resulting an exercise of powerful sonic spaces and generating feelings hard to forget; and Matthew, a resolving and conscientious bass guitar than shows the rhythmic aspects of Atavism with professionalism and smooth feeling, unhurried, methodical, consistent, disciplined. The consequence of all of this is a complex, sensitive, full of winks, seductive, ultimately, honest and credible smooth music. No improbable contrivances, but for small details that embellish each of the four tracks of Desintegración, added, certainly in the background, in order to help, from post-production, to add personality to a seasoned group that plays with the advantage of knowing each other and, most important, knowing everything around it. Atavism knows how to press, as none have done so far, thanks to its music and its lyrics, the mechanisms for a smart avid listener that search for satisfying sound experiences; a listener that hates perishables items presented to particular benefit. Here's soul, there is 'duende' (it is forbidden to confuse all those Spanish topics; I'm not talking about that). I'm talking about magic, strength, sense of feeling, communication, satisfaction... I am referring, definitely, to Music, with capital letters, to contemporary Art made to joy and delight anyone who wants to be seduced by a sincere exercise of a quality out of the ordinary. From the depths of the mind into the pores of the skin, Desintegración meets several requirements that make it a classic of the future: feeling (I never get tired of saying that), honesty, taste and love; love for the listener who is the ultimately impassive adressee of the universal and timeless work of the greatest promise, turned into reality, of Spanish progressive rock: Atavism. I did not hesitate for a second